Education
Buchanan graduated from University of California Santa Barbara.
Buchanan graduated from University of California Santa Barbara.
In September 2009, Buchanan lost a bid to succeed Ellen Tauscher in the United States. Congress. Before the age of 30, she retired from the private sector, after obtaining the position of Director of Commercial Operations at Delta Dental. Buchanan’s budgeting and organizational development led to SRVUSD being ranked among the top 5% of all school districts in California.
Over 94% of the district’s graduating seniors attend college.
Buchanan also served as Vice-President of the San Ramon Valley School Age Child Care Alliance and helped bring childcare services to San Ramon elementary schools. In addition, she successfully led the 1994 “Number on Vouchers” campaign to preserve funds for public schools.
Buchanan successfully ran for State Assembly in 2008. She ran in California"s 15th district against Republican San Ramon Mayor H. Abram Wilson.
Assembly District 15 includes areas of Contra Costa, Alameda, Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties.
On March 18, 2009, Buchanan"s hometown Congresswoman Republican Ellen Tauscher (Doctorate California-10) was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. A special election to fill her seat took place in 2009.
Buchanan ran in the Democratic Primary to replace Republican
Tauscher. She lost to Democratic former Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi. In December 2014, Buchanan announced that she would run for Mark DeSaulnier"s seat in the State Senate.
DeSaulnier resigned to represent California"s 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. She lost in the primary election on March 17th to Democrats Susan Bonilla, and Democrat Steve Glazer.
She has since endorsed Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla in her State Senate Campaign.
She was a member of the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2014.